John Cale: “The Velvet Underground wasted a lot of great opportunities”

John Cale answers your questions in the current Uncut, dated February 2016 and out now.

The solo artist and former Velvet Underground member discusses his work with Lou Reed, Brian Eno, Nico and the Happy Mondays, and recalls jamming with David Bowie in the 1980s.

Asked how he feels today about The Velvet Underground’s early ’90s reunion, though, Cale is scathing. “We wasted a lot of great opportunities,” he explains. “The potential was there to do a lot of great things, but Lou just wanted to regurgitate his catalogue.

“We could have done a lot of different things, and everybody was there, waiting for it to happen… But that’s it. I mean, everybody got to understand what Moe [Tucker] and Sterling [Morrison] were about, so that’s a positive thing.”

Cale also recalled the personal issues during the band’s original existence, saying: “When it came to [1968’s] White Light/White Heat we were barely able to be in the same room for more than five minutes. White Light was recorded quickly – it had to be.”